CAST Interim Assessments

The California Science Test (CAST) Interim Assessments measure the same science domain content and performance expectations (PEs) as the summative CAST and may be used to determine the knowledge and skills of a student after a period of instruction. The CAST Interim Assessments provide information about student performance for the designated assessment grade level (that is, grade three, four, or five) or science domain (that is, Earth and Space Sciences, Life Sciences, or Physical Sciences in middle school or high school). Each CAST Interim Assessment includes between 14 and 16 items depending on grade level or grade band and is designed to be administered in one class period. All CAST Interim Assessments include discrete items and one performance task (PT). The PT is domain-specific and requires local hand scoring of the constructed-response item.

CAST Interim Assessments may be administered in a standardized or nonstandardized manner. For more information on the manner of administration of interim assessments, refer to the Administration of the Interim Assessments chapter.

CAST Interim Assessments are designed to measure segments of content—rather than all of the content covered in the CAST summative blueprint—to give teachers a better understanding of students’ science knowledge and applicable skills and provide teachers with information about next steps for instruction.

CAST Interim Assessments are available year-round, contain items that are placed on the same reporting scale as the summative CAST, and use the full array of accessibility resources and supports available to students on the summative CAST. They use the same item types (for example, multiple choice, 23grid, inline choice list, composite, and constructed response) and formats as the summative CAST, and they include PTs. In addition, each CAST Interim Assessment is administered online using the same Test Delivery System as the summative CAST.

The CAST Interim Assessment is a fixed-form assessment—meaning every student receives the same items—that delivers one discrete item segment and one PT segment for a specific grade level or grade band or science domain. This is different than the summative CAST, which delivers randomized discrete item segments, followed by randomized PT segments for grade five, grade eight, or the high school grade band. Although CAST Interim Assessments are designed for grades three through five, middle school, and high school, they may be administered to any student at any grade level.